Halloween Special: Vampirism in Psychiatry

In this episode, Dr Choong-Siew Yong and Associate Professor Jeffrey Looi discuss computer gaming culture from the viewpoint of understanding the interests and hobbies of patients and community members, as well as considering benefits and harms specifically for children and adolescents. The issues discussed include definitions, how and why people choose to play computer games, and risks such as excessive gaming and introduction to gambling via loot boxes. Learning how to ask patients about the role of gaming in their lives can help in better understanding the sociocultural milieux in which they live. Dr Choong-Siew Yong is a child and adolescent psychiatrist in Sydney, NSW. He has long-standing interests in medical workforce and education, practitioner regulation, doctors’ health and mental health policy. He has served on the executive committees of the Australian Medical Association, NSW Medical Board and Medical Council, and the NSW Doctors’ Health Advisory Service.  For the RANZCP, he has served as the Chair of the Committee for Education Evaluation, Monitoring and Reporting (CEEMR) and the Committee for Continuing Medical Education (now known as the Committee for Continuing Professional Development). He is the current Chair of the Member Wellbeing Subcommittee.Associate Professor Jeffrey Looi, MBBS Syd, MD ANU, DMedSc Melb, FRANZCP, AFRACMA, is a clinical academic neuropsychiatrist, in private and public practice, and Head of the Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine at the Australian National University School of Medicine and Psychology. Jeffrey leads the Australian, United States, Scandinavian-Spanish Imaging Exchange (AUSSIE) and the Consortium of Australian-Academic Psychiatrists for Independent Policy and Research Analysis (CAPIPRA). He has received multiple research and leadership awards including: a Fulbright Scholarship and Australian-Davos-Connection Future Summit Leadership Award and Fellowship of the AMA. He is a co-author on more than 330 peer-reviewed papers, involving UCLA, Karolinska Institute and University of Melbourne. In January 2024, he was appointed as Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed medical scientific journal, Australasian Psychiatry published by the RANZCP, through Sage. References: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/10398562231211137Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

In this special Halloween episode, Dr Rob Kaplan explores the intersection of psychiatry and the myth of vampires, particularly through the lens of Renfield’s syndrome, a fictional condition derived from Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. It discusses how psychiatric disorders are defined, the historical context of vampirism, and the implications of clinical cases related to blood drinking behaviour. The discussion emphasises the social aspects of diagnoses and the cultural fascination with vampires. Dr Robert M. Kaplan, MBChB FRANZCP MA MPhil, is a forensic psychiatrist, lecturer and speaker with positions at the University of New South Wales, Western Sydney University and Wollongong University. His fields of expertise are sleep and pain disorders, neuropsychiatry and psychological aspects of physical disorders. He also holds the distinguished position of Chair of the Binational Section of Philosophy and Humanities at RANZCP. Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

In this episode, Dr Ashlea White and Dr Roderick McKay discuss the professional and interpersonal aspects of wellbeing, emphasising the importance of community and peer support for mental health professionals. Drawing from their own experiences, they reflect on the challenges faced by trainees, the role of mentorship, and the stigma surrounding mental health issues and seeking help as a physician. They explore how the profession can create space to value those that may be struggling.   The conversation also highlights the impact that small, helpful acts and moments can have, and the human element of fostering more supportive environments in psychiatry. They discuss how community can help with regaining perspective in difficult times. Dr Ashlea White is an early career addiction and adult psychiatrist with a varied career in public and private psychiatry, spanning tertiary and regional healthcare. In a previous life, she was a radiographer and now she is committed to building a flexible career in psychiatry that aligns with her many interests while also spending time with her growing family. Dr White continues to be passionate about gender equity and improving access to quality mental health treatment for all. She also sits on the RANZCP Member Wellbeing Subcommittee. Dr Roderick McKay is a psychiatrist whose current work focuses on working with older people and postgraduate education with psychiatry trainees and multidisciplinary courses. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame, Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of NSW. At RANZCP, he was the former bi-national chairs of both the Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age and the Community Collaborative Committee. Dr McKay currently works as a clinician in southern Sydney, having previously worked in southwestern Sydney and Far West NSW.Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

This conversation discusses the development of the Certificate of Postgraduate Training in Clinical Psychiatry (the Certificate), funded by the Australian Government. The Certificate is designed for medical practitioners in Australia (PGY5+) who want to learn foundational concepts in psychiatry and develop practical clinical skills to assess and support patients who present with mental health conditions. The program includes four core areas with an elective that can be related to your interests. It offers flexibility and experiential learning, allowing participants to continue working in their primary places of work -while under clinical supervision by experienced psychiatrists.Chair of the Expert Advisory Group, Dr Bill Kingswell, and members of the Expert Advisory Group and Curriculum Authorship Steering Group, Dr Matthew Ruhl and Dr Catherine Andronis, discuss why medical practitioners should enrol into the Certificate and the benefits of undertaking the program for general practitioners and rural generalists.Dr Bill Kingswell is a psychiatrist with a long-term interest in the educational activities of the RANZCP and chaired the Expert Advisory Group which governed this project.Dr Matthew Ruhl is a rural generalist (FACRRM), with an advanced skill in mental health and special interests in addiction and sexual health, and all facets of LGBTIQAPSB+ health. He has worked for the past decade in hospitals and health facilities across south-east Queensland. Matt is an active clinical educator for the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and continues to study actively, is a novice researcher and supports medical student and doctor education. In his spare time, he enjoys his artistic pursuits as an amateur stained-glass maker, cooking, gaming, and sleep (especially sleep!). Dr Catherine Andronis is a Melbourne-based GP with a special interest in mental health, and a family therapist.  She is currently the Chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Psychological Medicine Specific Interests group, as well as a medical educator and a keen advocate for mental health care in Australia.Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

In this episode, Dr Lauren Schild and Dr Rory Grinsill discuss their trainee experiences of their rotations in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). They talk about the value of these placements, the challenges they faced, and the benefits of group therapy for veterans. The conversation, facilitated by Dr Jonathan Lane, highlights the importance of understanding the unique experiences and needs of military veterans and the role of community support in their mental health treatment. Learn more about MVPTP Military and Veteran Psychiatry Training Program.Dr Lauren Schild is a new Fellow currently working in a public inpatient unit inSouth Australia. She completed her medical training at the University of Adelaide, interned at Flinders Medical Centre and completed her psychiatry training in the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network. During her training, she completed three rotations at the Jamie Larcombe Centre, which is the specialist mental health unit for veterans in South Australia.Dr Rory Grinsill is a Consultant Psychiatrist currently working at Toowong Private Hospital in Brisbane. As a veteran of the Royal Navy, he has a particular interest in improving mental health and welfare within military and veteran communities. A/Prof Jonathan Lane, FRANZCP, MBBS (Hons), PhD, has been in the Army since 1989 and is also an Afghanistan veteran. He works with the DVA and is the Psychiatry Lead for the University of Tasmania School of Medicine He works in the field of military, veteran and first responders and has a PhD in culturally specific, peer led, group programs for stress and trauma in these populations. He is the current Chair of the Military, Veterans’ and Emergency Services Personnel Mental Health Network in the RANZCP and is passionate about developing services, clinical outcomes, and translational research in this area.Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

Sleep disorders are often misunderstood and underdiagnosed. Understanding sleep physiology is key to diagnosing and treating sleep disorders. Sleep disorders can be categorized into disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep, disorders of excessive sleep, parasomnias, and disturbances of the sleep cycle. Dr Robert Kaplan takes us through diagnoses, approach and treatment methods for the various sleep disorders including insomnia, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and REM sleep behaviour disorder.Dr Robert M. Kaplan, MBChB FRANZCP MA MPhil, is a Forensic psychiatrist, lecturer and speaker with positions at the University of New South Wales, Western Sydney University and Wollongong University. His fields of expertise are sleep and pain disorders, neuropsychiatry and psychological aspects of physical disorders. He also holds the distinguished position at RANZCP, of Chair of the Binational Section Philosophy and the Humanities in Psychiatry.Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

In 2008, Australia and New Zealand ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD challenges traditional mental health legislation by emphasising the respect for inherent dignity, legal capacity, liberty and physical and mental integrity of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others. The application of CRPD in mental health care requires a realistic and balanced interpretation of the CRPD as well as education and training of clinical staff in human rights framework.Prof Neeraj Gill and Dr Ava Carter will outline the contemporary human rights framework. They examine civil and political rights, including involuntary psychiatric treatment and coercive interventions, along with economic, social and cultural rights. The discussion will also cover the application of the UN CRPD in mental health care in Australia as well as social determinants to health, social justice and public mental health.Prof Neeraj Gill is a psychiatrist at Gold Coast Health. He is a Professor of Adult Psychiatry at Griffith University and Professor of Public Mental Health at the University of Canberra. He is the Regional Vice-President, Oceania of the World Federation for Mental Health and the Secretary of the World Psychiatric Association Section on Psychiatry, Law and Ethics. He served as an elected Director on the Board of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) from 2020-2023.Neeraj was awarded his Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) based on his doctoral thesis on 'human rights of people with mental disabilities'. He has published many papers on human rights, mental health law, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing.Dr Ava Carter is a dental surgeon and medical doctor, currently specialising in consultation liaison psychiatry and developing her skills in medical administration and management. She is passionate about collaborating to improve outcomes and drive system change in organisations in the healthcare sector, and is driven to elevate the voices of others, particularly in healthcare education and lived experience. Clinically, Ava has worked in public health services, in allied health, and in the private health sector, and currently holds an operational role as Senior Registrar at Canberra Health Services. Ava was appointed by the Board as the Appointed Director, Trainee, for a one-year term from 31 May 2023 and was reappointed for a further one-year term from May 2024 to May 2025.Additional resources:Mental Health and Human Rights: The Challenges of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to Mental Health Care. Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

Developed by the RANZCP Section of Leadership and Management (SLAM), the following discussion is hosted by the former Chair, Associate Professor Robert Parker. This conversation exploring the topics of leadership and management in psychiatry, with a focus on the future of these fields and the challenges faced by early career psychiatrists. The panellists, Dr Graham Dickson, Dr Diane Meschino and Dr Mamta Gautam, share their personal experiences and insights. They discuss the importance of values, passion, persistence and ethical leadership in driving positive change highlighting the need for collaboration, curiosity and the ability to navigate barriers. Dr Graham Dickson is Professor Emeritus at Royal Roads University in Canada. He is CEO of LEADS Global, a not-for-profit enterprise dedicated to improving health leadership worldwide. As the principal, he works closely with the Canadian College of Health Leaders to enable countries outside of Canada to use LEADS for leadership development. Graham worked with the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA) over an eight-year period to support their leadership work and to create Health LEADS Australia. Graham is also working with colleagues to grow and expand the World Health Leadership Network, a collaborative enterprise dedicated to defining and understanding leadership necessary for moving health care forward in the 21st Century. LEADS Global has partnered with Accreditation Canada International and the Royal College Canada International to take medical leadership programs abroad. Dr Diane Meschino is a psychiatrist, artist and associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, with an academic focus on medical leadership. Building on discourses and evidence regarding gender, equity, rights, justice and power, Diane was an early women’s health pioneer, founding and scaling programmes for underserved mental health populations. She has semi-retired to apply creative leadership and international collaboration to enhance healthcare system resilience and responses to climate change. Dr Mamta Gautam, MD, MBA, FRCPC, CPDC, CCPE, CPE is an internationally renowned psychiatrist, consultant, certified coach, author and speaker.  Focused on physician well-being being since 1990, she is a trailblazer and leader in this field and is known as the “The Doctor’s Doctor”. She brings this knowledge and expertise to PEAK MD, through which she delivers keynote presentations and workshops, consults to healthcare organisations and coaches senior medical leaders internationally.  Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

This episode explores the work of psychiatrists in government, private practice and research for the population of military and veteran personnel in Australia. The conversation covers various specialist fields in psychiatry, including trauma-related disorders, substance abuse and forensic work. A/Prof Jon Lane, Leonie Nowland, Dr Alex Lim and Prof Jenny Firman discuss their experiences in private practice and its unique challenges and opportunities. They also highlight the role of Open Arms, a national counselling service for the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), in providing culturally aware and trauma-informed care.A/Prof Jon Lane, FRANZCP, MBBS (Hons), PhD, has been in the Army since 1989 and is also an Afghanistan veteran. He is a clinician in private practice, as well as holding several different roles. These include being a Consultant Psychiatrist for the DVA and Open Arms; the Psychiatry Lead for the University of Tasmania School of Medicine; and has adjunct appointments and research projects with the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation. He is also the current Chair of the College's Military and Veterans' Emergency Services Personnel Mental Health Network.Leonie Nowland is the First Assistant Secretary of Open Arms. Leonie has a wealth of experience working in critical roles in mental health across the State and Commonwealth public sectors and in the private sector in the UK and New Zealand. Leonie’s move to the role of First Assistant Secretary of Open Arms, is the culmination of many years’ experience in the mental health sector and she brings to the role a strong background as a mental health administrator and clinician, with a focus on community mental health.Dr Alexander Yick-Chern Lim is an Adjunct Associate Professor with the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) at the University of Queensland, and Co-Founder, Director and Chief Medical Officer of Zed3 Medical Group, a nationwide mental healthcare services provider. He is a Consultant Psychiatrist at Zed3 Specialist Centre, and is engaged with policy, research and education in the field of serving and ex-serving uniformed personnel healthcare with a focus on precision medicine. Dr Lim is a member of the Military, Veterans' and Emergency Services Personnel Mental Health Network at the RANZCP. Professor Jenny Firman AM joined the Royal Australian Navy as a medical student and over the next 22 years of full time service was posted to a range of positions in the Navy and Australian Defence Force. After leaving the full time Navy she spent a decade in the Australian Government Department of Health working on communicable diseases and health emergencies. In 2019 she was appointed as the Chief Health Officer in the DVA.Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.

In this episode Dr Warren Kealy-Bateman FRANZCP speaks with transgender youth about what it’s like being a young transgender person in Australia. Often absent in discussions around transgender youth healthcare are the voices of transgender youth themselves. This podcast explores four individual experiences with transgender healthcare across Australia and considers how psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals can better help transgender and gender-questioning youth in their journey.Dr Warren Kealy-Bateman works in Dubbo and regions as a clinical director. He has experience in education and training, public health and eating disorders. His academic work includes LGBTIQ+ health disparity.Topic suggestion:If you have a topic suggestion or would like to participate in a future episode of Psych Matters, we’d love to hear from you.Please contact us by email at: [email protected]:This podcast is provided to you for information purposes only and to provide a broad public understanding of various mental health topics. The podcast may represent the views of the author and not necessarily the views of The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ('RANZCP'). The podcast is not to be relied upon as medical advice, or as a substitute for medical advice, does not establish a doctor-patient relationship and should not be a substitute for individual clinical judgement. By accessing The RANZCP's podcasts you also agree to the full terms and conditions of the RANZCP's Website. Expert mental health information and finding a psychiatrist in Australia or New Zealand is available on the RANZCP’s Your Health In Mind Website.